Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, Verse 12

English Translation

That light in the sun which illumines the whole world, that which is in the moon, and that which is in fire,-know that light to be Mine.

Detailed Commentary

Commentary -- [It is the nature of the *jiva* (individual soul) to be attracted to influence and significance. Due to *Prakriti* (material nature), the *jiva* comes under the sway of material objects (body, wife, son, wealth, etc.) and thus fails to perceive the importance of the Lord. To remove the influence of these objects from the *jiva*, the Lord describes His own power, asserting that the influence of these objects is, in reality, His. 'I alone am the most influential. Everything is illuminated by My light.'] Just as the light of the sun illuminates the entire cosmos, that light, however, does not belong to the sun but is derived from the Lord. The sun is the presiding deity of the eyes; therefore, the power of sight also belongs to the Lord. The illuminating power and the nourishing power of the moon come from the Lord. The moon is the presiding deity of the mind; therefore, the power of the mind also comes from the Lord. The illuminating power and the burning power of Agni (fire) also belong to the Lord. Agni is the presiding deity of speech; therefore, the power of speech should also be understood as received from the Lord. The Lord states that the brilliance (*tejas*) in the sun, moon, and Agni is His alone. Just as the sweetness of a *boondi laddoo* comes from sugar, so too their brilliance (*tejas*) comes from the Lord. The entire universe is illuminated by the light of the Lord. These three senses – the eyes, the mind, and speech – illuminate the most, through which we acquire knowledge. They cannot illuminate the Lord because their brilliance (*tejas*) is His alone. Relation -- Now the Lord reveals His power as the cosmic energy (*samashti-shakti*), through which all activities occur in the collective universe (*samashti-jagat*).